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(1)

What is Research? (Talk I)

Uday Khedker

(www.cse.iitb.ac.in/˜uday)

Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay

(2)

IITB Research I: Outline 1/65

Outline

• Why research?

• What is research?

• Where do good ideas come from?

• The process of research

• Richard Hamming on research (“You and Your Research”)

• Conclusions

(3)

IITB Research I: Outline

Disclaimers

• General concepts

• No “cook book” or “how to do it yourself”

(4)

IITB Research I: Outline 2/65

Disclaimers

• General concepts

• No “cook book” or “how to do it yourself”

Attempt to explicate what most researchers implicitly believe and may not articulate

Views expressed through examples

(5)

IITB Research I: Outline

Disclaimers

• General concepts

• No “cook book” or “how to do it yourself”

Attempt to explicate what most researchers implicitly believe and may not articulate

Views expressed through examples

Individual’s perspective rather than an organization’s perspective

(6)

IITB Research I: Outline 2/65

Disclaimers

• General concepts

• No “cook book” or “how to do it yourself”

Attempt to explicate what most researchers implicitly believe and may not articulate

Views expressed through examples

Individual’s perspective rather than an organization’s perspective

Personal reflections and confessions

(7)

Part 2

Why Research?

(8)

IITB Research I: Why Research? 3/65

Alice’s Adventures

(9)

IITB

Alice’s Adventures

Through the Looking Glass Author: Lewis Carroll Illustration: John Tenniel

(10)

IITB Research I: Why Research? 3/65

Alice’s Adventures

Through the Looking Glass Author: Lewis Carroll Illustration: John Tenniel

‘Well, in our country,’ said Alice, still panting a little, ‘you’d generally get to somewhere else – if you ran very fast for a long time, as we’ve been doing.’

(11)

IITB

Surviving in a World of Rapidly Developing Technologies

Need to run twice as fast to even remain in the same place . . .

• Hard (Technical) Skills

• Soft Skills

(Leadership, Motivation, Emotional Maturity, Communication etc.)

(12)

IITB Research I: Why Research? 4/65

Surviving in a World of Rapidly Developing Technologies

Need to run twice as fast to even remain in the same place . . .

• Hard (Technical) Skills

• Soft Skills

(Leadership, Motivation, Emotional Maturity, Communication etc.)

• Ability to acquire new skills

(13)

IITB

Surviving in a World of Rapidly Developing Technologies

Need to run twice as fast to even remain in the same place . . .

• Hard (Technical) Skills

• Soft Skills

(Leadership, Motivation, Emotional Maturity, Communication etc.)

• Ability to acquire new skills

Quick self-learning is enhanced significantly by doing research

(14)

IITB Research I: Why Research? 5/65

Why Do People Do Research?

• Is this the main reason why people do research?

(15)

IITB

Why Do People Do Research?

• Is this the main reason why people do research?

• We’ll hopefully have a better answer by the end of this talk

(16)

Part 3

In Search of Research

(17)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

What is Research?

• Carving Statues out of stones

(18)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 6/65

What is Research?

• Carving Statues out of stones

• Methods and tools

(19)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

What is Research?

• Carving Statues out of stones

• Methods and tools

• Attempt to improve the methods and tools leads to

Better statues

Better methods and tools

(20)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 6/65

What is Research?

• Carving Statues out of stones

• Methods and tools

• Attempt to improve the methods and tools leads to

Better statues

Better methods and tools

Better sculptors

(21)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

In Search of Research?

• Observed Phenomena with no explanations

Puzzles and mysteries

• Lacunae in the known theory and/or practice

The need of a better understanding/method

Innovative ideas

• Innovative ideas waiting for new applications

Discovery of new puzzles, mysteries and/or lacunae

(22)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 8/65

The Essence of Research

• Is building a device, research?

(23)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

The Essence of Research

new

• Is building a device, research?

(24)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 8/65

The Essence of Research

• Is building a device, research?

• Is writing a software, research?

(25)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

The Essence of Research

new

• Is building a device, research?

• Is writing a software, research?

(26)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 8/65

The Essence of Research

• Is building a device, research?

• Is writing a software, research?

• Is repairing a device or debugging a software, research?

(27)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

The Essence of Research

• Is building a device, research?

• Is writing a software, research?

• Is repairing a device or debugging a software, research?

• Is drawing a conclusion from a lot of data, research?

(28)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 8/65

The Essence of Research

• Is building a device, research?

• Is writing a software, research?

• Is repairing a device or debugging a software, research?

• Is drawing a conclusion from a lot of data, research?

• Is proving a theorem, research?

(29)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

The Essence of Research

• Is building a device, research?

• Is writing a software, research?

• Is repairing a device or debugging a software, research?

• Is drawing a conclusion from a lot of data, research?

• Is proving a theorem, research?

• Is formulating a theorem, research?

(30)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 8/65

The Essence of Research

• Is building a device, research?

• Is writing a software, research?

• Is repairing a device or debugging a software, research?

• Is drawing a conclusion from a lot of data, research?

• Is proving a theorem, research?

• Is formulating a theorem, research?

(31)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

The Essence of Research

• Research is a game of creating innovative ideas that are significant

(32)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 9/65

The Essence of Research

• Research is a game of creating innovative ideas that are significant

• Creation of ideas vs. execution of ideas Reflection vs. action

(33)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

The Essence of Research

• Research is a game of creating innovative ideas that are significant

• Creation of ideas vs. execution of ideas Reflection vs. action

• Innovation

(34)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 9/65

The Essence of Research

• Research is a game of creating innovative ideas that are significant

• Creation of ideas vs. execution of ideas Reflection vs. action

• Innovation

• Significance

Beauty

Utility

Enhancement of knowledge

(35)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

The Essence of Research

• Research is a game of creating innovative ideas that are significant

• Creation of ideas vs. execution of ideas Reflection vs. action

• Innovation

• Significance

Beauty

Utility

Enhancement of knowledge

Creation of significant &

innovative ideas

(36)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 9/65

The Essence of Research

• Research is a game of creating innovative ideas that are significant

• Creation of ideas vs. execution of ideas Reflection vs. action

• Innovation

• Significance

Beauty

Utility

Enhancement of knowledge

Creation of significant &

innovative ideas

(37)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

The Essence of Research

• Research is a game of creating innovative ideas that are significant

• Creation of ideas vs. execution of ideas Reflection vs. action

• Innovation

• Significance

Beauty

Utility

Enhancement of knowledge

Creation of significant &

innovative ideas

(38)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 9/65

The Essence of Research

• Research is a game of creating innovative ideas that are significant

• Creation of ideas vs. execution of ideas Reflection vs. action

• Innovation

• Significance

Beauty

Utility

Enhancement of knowledge Creation of

significant &

innovative ideas

(39)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

The Essence of Research

• Research is a game of creating innovative ideas that are significant

• Creation of ideas vs. execution of ideas Reflection vs. action

• Innovation

• Significance

Beauty

Utility

Enhancement of knowledge

Creation of significant &

innovative ideas

(40)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 9/65

The Essence of Research

• Research is a game of creating innovative ideas that are significant

• Creation of ideas vs. execution of ideas Reflection vs. action

• Innovation

• Significance

Beauty

Utility

Enhancement of knowledge

Creation of significant &

(41)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

The Essence of Research

• Research is a game of creating innovative ideas that are significant

• Creation of ideas vs. execution of ideas Reflection vs. action

• Innovation

• Significance

Beauty

Utility

Enhancement of knowledge

(42)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 9/65

The Essence of Research

• Research is a game of creating innovative ideas that are significant

• Creation of ideas vs. execution of ideas Reflection vs. action

• Innovation

• Significance

Beauty

Utility

Enhancement of knowledge Creation of

significant &

innovative ideas

(43)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

The Essence of Research

• Research is a game of creating innovative ideas that are significant

• Creation of ideas vs. execution of ideas Reflection vs. action

• Innovation

• Significance

Beauty

Utility

Enhancement of knowledge Creation of significant &

innovative ideas

(44)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 9/65

The Essence of Research

• Research is a game of creating innovative ideas that are significant

• Creation of ideas vs. execution of ideas Reflection vs. action

• Innovation

• Significance

Beauty

Utility

Enhancement of knowledge

(45)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

The Essence of Research

• Research is a game of creating innovative ideas that are significant

• Creation of ideas vs. execution of ideas Reflection vs. action

• Innovation

• Significance

Beauty

Utility

Enhancement of knowledge Creation of

significant &

innovative ideas

(46)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 9/65

The Essence of Research

• Research is a game of creating innovative ideas that are significant

• Creation of ideas vs. execution of ideas Reflection vs. action

• Innovation

• Significance

Beauty

Utility

Enhancement of knowledge

Creation of significant &

innovative ideas Creation of

significant &

innovative ideas

Creation of significant &

innovative ideas

Creation of significant &

innovative ideas

Creation of significant &

innovative ideas

Creation of significant &

Creation of significant &

innovative ideas

Creation of significant &

innovative ideas Creation of

significant &

innovative ideas

Creation of significant &

innovative

(47)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

What is an Idea?

(48)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 10/65

What is an Idea?

• An idea is not an isolated thing in a vacuum, it has a context

• The context often decides its significance

(49)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

What is an Idea?

• An idea is not an isolated thing in a vacuum, it has a context

• The context often decides its significance

• An idea is like a missing piece in a jigsaw puzzle

Discovery of an idea completes at least some part of the puzzle

(50)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 10/65

What is an Idea?

• An idea is not an isolated thing in a vacuum, it has a context

• The context often decides its significance

• An idea is like a missing piece in a jigsaw puzzle

Discovery of an idea completes at least some part of the puzzle Discovery, Invention, or Creation?

(51)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

What is an Idea?

• An idea is not an isolated thing in a vacuum, it has a context

• The context often decides its significance

• An idea is like a missing piece in a jigsaw puzzle

Discovery of an idea completes at least some part of the puzzle Discovery, Invention, or Creation?

An idea is a connection between other ideas

(52)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 10/65

What is an Idea?

• An idea is not an isolated thing in a vacuum, it has a context

• The context often decides its significance

• An idea is like a missing piece in a jigsaw puzzle

Discovery of an idea completes at least some part of the puzzle Discovery, Invention, or Creation?

An idea is a connection between other ideas

The more unlikely the connection, the more beautiful the idea is

(53)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

What is an Idea?

• An idea is not an isolated thing in a vacuum, it has a context

• The context often decides its significance

• An idea is like a missing piece in a jigsaw puzzle

Discovery of an idea completes at least some part of the puzzle Discovery, Invention, or Creation?

An idea is a connection between other ideas

The more unlikely the connection, the more beautiful the idea is

• Sometimes, we know what the puzzle would be like before getting the idea Some other times the picture emerges as we start discovering the ideas

(54)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 10/65

What is an Idea?

• An idea is not an isolated thing in a vacuum, it has a context

• The context often decides its significance

• An idea is like a missing piece in a jigsaw puzzle

Discovery of an idea completes at least some part of the puzzle Discovery, Invention, or Creation?

An idea is a connection between other ideas

The more unlikely the connection, the more beautiful the idea is

• Sometimes, we know what the puzzle would be like before getting the idea Some other times the picture emerges as we start discovering the ideas

Important disclaimer

Neither this talk nor any of my works has been sponsored by a certain mobile service provider!

(55)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

Ingredients of Good Research

• Innovation

(56)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 11/65

Ingredients of Good Research

• Innovation

• Aesthetics

(57)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

Ingredients of Good Research

• Innovation

• Aesthetics

• Other important aspects :

Completeness

Rigour

Empirical demonstration

Effective communication

(58)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 12/65

Innovation

• The sphere of knowledge

(59)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

Innovation

• The sphere of knowledge

• Initial general learning

(60)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 12/65

Innovation

• The sphere of knowledge

• Initial general learning

• Learning increases with time

(61)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

Innovation

• The sphere of knowledge

• Initial general learning

• Learning increases with time

(62)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 12/65

Innovation

• The sphere of knowledge

• Initial general learning

• Learning increases with time

• Begin focussing and specializing

(63)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

Innovation

• The sphere of knowledge

• Initial general learning

• Learning increases with time

• Begin focussing and specializing

• Specialize more and more until you reach the unknown

(64)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 12/65

Innovation

• The sphere of knowledge

• Initial general learning

• Learning increases with time

• Begin focussing and specializing

• Specialize more and more until you reach the unknown

• Try to push the boundary

(65)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

Innovation

• The sphere of knowledge

• Initial general learning

• Learning increases with time

• Begin focussing and specializing

• Specialize more and more until you reach the unknown

• Try to push the boundary

• If you keep trying try hard enough, you may succeed

(66)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 12/65

Innovation

• Your view of knowledge

(67)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

Innovation

• The big picture

(68)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 13/65

What Qualifies as Innovation?

• Everything that is new need not be innovative

Example: Finding sum of two obscure 100 digit numbers

• Creation without creativity does not qualify as innovation

• The novelty quotient of an innovation depends on

how non-obvious the result seemed before you established it

how obvious the result appears in hindsight

(69)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

What Qualifies as Innovation?

• Everything that is new need not be innovative

Example: Finding sum of two obscure 100 digit numbers

• Creation without creativity does not qualify as innovation

• The novelty quotient of an innovation depends on

how non-obvious the result seemed before you established it

how obvious the result appears in hindsight

Innovation in research should enrich the set of “first principles”

(70)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 14/65

Aesthetics

• Total is greater than the sum of the parts

“Scientists study science not because it is useful, but because it is beautiful. Here I do not talk about the beauty of appearance or beauty of qualities . . . Here I talk about thatprofound beauty which comes from a harmonious order of parts. . . ”

– Henry Poincare

• Example : Painting

Proportion of colours Vs. their arrangements

(71)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

Aesthetics and Beauty of an Idea

• What proportion of the box does the pink triangle occupy?

• Would the result hold foranytriangle in a box?

(72)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 16/65

Aesthetics and Beauty of an Idea

• Idea: Draw a vertical line to divide the rectangle in two parts

(73)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

Aesthetics and Beauty of an Idea

• Idea: Draw a vertical line to divide the rectangle in two parts

• The slanting lines now divide the two boxes in two equal parts

(74)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 16/65

Aesthetics and Beauty of an Idea

• Idea: Draw a vertical line to divide the rectangle in two parts

• The slanting lines now divide the two boxes in two equal parts

• Exactly as much area outside of the triangle as there is inside

(75)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

Aesthetics and Beauty of an Idea

b h

• Idea: Draw a vertical line to divide the rectangle in two parts

• The slanting lines now divide the two boxes in two equal parts

• Exactly as much area outside of the triangle as there is inside

(76)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 17/65

Food for Thought

What about this pink triangle?

(77)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

Beauty of an Idea

• Ideas talk back to us

When we fix one idea, it fixes some other ideas

• Beauty lies in creating simple ideas that

bring in unexpected implications

relate the seemingly unrelated things

illuminate and reveal much more than anticipated

• Total is greater than the sum of the parts

(78)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 19/65

Another Example of Beauty of an Idea

• Question: What is the sum of all internal angles of a polygon?

(79)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

Another Example of Beauty of an Idea

• Question: What is the sum of all internal angles of a polygon?

180

(80)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 19/65

Another Example of Beauty of an Idea

• Question: What is the sum of all internal angles of a polygon?

180 360

(81)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

Another Example of Beauty of an Idea

• Question: What is the sum of all internal angles of a polygon?

180 360

540

(82)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 19/65

Another Example of Beauty of an Idea

• Question: What is the sum of all internal angles of a polygon?

180 360

540

720

(83)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

Another Example of Beauty of an Idea

• Question: What is the sum of all internal angles of a polygon?

Consider annsided polygon

(84)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 20/65

Another Example of Beauty of an Idea

• Question: What is the sum of all internal angles of a polygon?

Consider annsided polygon

Choose an arbitrary inner point and connect it to all vertices

(85)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

Another Example of Beauty of an Idea

• Question: What is the sum of all internal angles of a polygon?

Consider annsided polygon

Choose an arbitrary inner point and connect it to all vertices

We haventriangles

(86)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 20/65

Another Example of Beauty of an Idea

• Question: What is the sum of all internal angles of a polygon?

Consider annsided polygon

Choose an arbitrary inner point and connect it to all vertices

We haventriangles

Sum of all angles =n·180

(87)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

Another Example of Beauty of an Idea

• Question: What is the sum of all internal angles of a polygon?

Consider annsided polygon

Choose an arbitrary inner point and connect it to all vertices

We haventriangles

Sum of all angles =n·180

Exclude the sum of the angles incident on the chosen point

(88)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 20/65

Another Example of Beauty of an Idea

• Question: What is the sum of all internal angles of a polygon?

Consider annsided polygon

Choose an arbitrary inner point and connect it to all vertices

We haventriangles

Sum of all angles =n·180

Exclude the sum of the angles incident on the chosen point

(89)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

On the Role of Rigour in an Idea

• Rigour removes imprecision and adds concreteness

• Makes an idea immune to personal interpretation

(90)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 21/65

On the Role of Rigour in an Idea

• Rigour removes imprecision and adds concreteness

• Makes an idea immune to personal interpretation

• Example: Divide 6 by 2

(91)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

On the Role of Rigour in an Idea

• Rigour removes imprecision and adds concreteness

• Makes an idea immune to personal interpretation

• Example: Divide 6 by 2

“Divide 6 into 2 parts and tell me the size of each part”

(92)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research 21/65

On the Role of Rigour in an Idea

• Rigour removes imprecision and adds concreteness

• Makes an idea immune to personal interpretation

• Example: Divide 6 by 2

“Divide 6 into 2 parts and tell me the size of each part”

• Divide 6 by 12

“Divide 6 into half part and tell me the size”

(93)

IITB Research I: In Search of Research

On the Role of Rigour in an Idea

• Rigour removes imprecision and adds concreteness

• Makes an idea immune to personal interpretation

• Example: Divide 6 by 2

“Divide 6 into 2 parts and tell me the size of each part”

• Divide 6 by 12

“Divide 6 into half part and tell me the size”

• More rigorous explanations:

“Divide 6 into parts of size 2 and tell me the number of parts”

1

(94)

Part 4

Where Do Good Ideas Come From?

Based on

Where Good Ideas Come From. Steven Johnson. Penguin Books, 2010

(95)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?

What Makes Good Ideas Possible?

We structure our answer along the following aspects:

• Thebasis of good ideas.

• Thedomainof good ideas.

• Theheuristics of exploring the domain of good ideas.

• Thefacilitatorsof good ideas.

(96)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 23/65

The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas

available technologies, resources, ideas

Basis

• Basis:

• Domain:

(97)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?

The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas

available technologies, resources, ideas

Domain Basis

• Basis: Available resources

• Domain: Adjacent Possible

(98)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 23/65

The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas

Domain Basis

• Basis: Available resources with

mature prerequisite ideas/technologies

• Domain: Adjacent Possible

(99)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?

The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas

Domain Basis

• Basis: Available resources with

mature prerequisite ideas/technologies

flexible connections

• Domain: Adjacent Possible

(100)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 23/65

The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas

Domain Basis

• Basis: Available resources with

mature prerequisite ideas/technologies

flexible connections

free flow of ideas

• Domain: Adjacent Possible

(101)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?

The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas

Domain Basis

• Basis: Available resources with

mature prerequisite ideas/technologies

flexible connections

free flow of ideas

• Domain: Adjacent Possible

(102)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 23/65

The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas

Domain Basis

• Basis: Available resources with

mature prerequisite ideas/technologies

flexible connections

free flow of ideas

• Domain: Adjacent Possible

(103)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?

The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas

Domain Basis

• Basis: Available resources with

mature prerequisite ideas/technologies

flexible connections

free flow of ideas

• Domain: Adjacent Possible

(104)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 23/65

The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas

Domain Basis

• Basis: Available resources with

mature prerequisite ideas/technologies

flexible connections

free flow of ideas

• Domain: Adjacent Possible

(105)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?

The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas

Domain Basis

• Basis: Available resources with

mature prerequisite ideas/technologies

flexible connections

free flow of ideas

• Domain: Adjacent Possible

(106)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 23/65

The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas

Domain Basis

• Basis: Available resources with

mature prerequisite ideas/technologies

flexible connections

free flow of ideas

• Domain: Adjacent Possible

(107)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?

The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas

Domain Basis

• Basis: Available resources with

mature prerequisite ideas/technologies

flexible connections

free flow of ideas

• Domain: Adjacent Possible

(108)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 23/65

The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas

Domain Basis

• Basis: Available resources with

mature prerequisite ideas/technologies

flexible connections

free flow of ideas

• Domain: Adjacent Possible

(109)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?

The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas

Domain Basis

• Basis: Available resources with

mature prerequisite ideas/technologies

flexible connections

free flow of ideas

• Domain: Adjacent Possible

(110)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 23/65

The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas

Domain Basis

• Basis: Available resources with

mature prerequisite ideas/technologies

flexible connections

free flow of ideas

• Domain: Adjacent Possible

(111)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?

The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas

Domain Basis

• Basis: Available resources with

mature prerequisite ideas/technologies

flexible connections

free flow of ideas

• Domain: Adjacent Possible

(112)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 23/65

The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas

Domain Basis

• Basis: Available resources with

mature prerequisite ideas/technologies

flexible connections

free flow of ideas

• Domain: Adjacent Possible

(113)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?

The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas

Domain Basis

• Basis: Available resources with

mature prerequisite ideas/technologies

flexible connections

free flow of ideas

• Domain: Adjacent Possible

(114)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 23/65

The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas

Domain Basis

• Basis: Available resources with

mature prerequisite ideas/technologies

flexible connections

free flow of ideas

• Domain: Adjacent Possible

(115)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?

The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas

Domain Basis

• Basis: Available resources with

mature prerequisite ideas/technologies

flexible connections

free flow of ideas

• Domain: Adjacent Possible

(116)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 23/65

The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas

Domain Basis

• Basis: Available resources with

mature prerequisite ideas/technologies

flexible connections

free flow of ideas

• Domain: Adjacent Possible

Boundaries define the limit

(117)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?

The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas

Domain Basis

• Basis: Available resources with

mature prerequisite ideas/technologies

flexible connections

free flow of ideas

• Domain: Adjacent Possible

Boundaries define the limit

Boundaries grow as we explore

(118)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 24/65

Adjacent Possible

• First Order Combinations (Stuart Kaufman, 1995)

(119)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?

Adjacent Possible

• First Order Combinations (Stuart Kaufman, 1995)

• Boundaries grow as we explore them

(120)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 24/65

Adjacent Possible

• First Order Combinations (Stuart Kaufman, 1995)

• Boundaries grow as we explore them

Find a new door and open it

May lead to a yet another door that needs to be opened

(121)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?

Adjacent Possible

• First Order Combinations (Stuart Kaufman, 1995)

• Boundaries grow as we explore them

Find a new door and open it

May lead to a yet another door that needs to be opened Car headlights provide only a short lookahead in the night Yet we can cover long distances over time . . .

(122)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 25/65

Some Heuristics for Exploring the Adjacent Possible

• Seeking duality: Observing similarity in apparently unrelated things

• Seeking symmetry: Observing balance or patterned self-similarity

• Generalization: Removing specificities to cover more situations

• Refinement: Distilling to essesnce by removing irrelevant parts

• Extensions: Trying to stretch an idea in all possible directions

• Adaptation: Using an idea in an unrelated context

(123)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?

Adjacent Vs. Non-Adjacent

Charles Babbage’s two revolutionary designs

• The Analytical Engine was far ahead of its time

All basic ideas were in place in 1837

The design was far too complex for the available technology (mechanical gears and switches)

(124)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 26/65

Adjacent Vs. Non-Adjacent

Charles Babbage’s two revolutionary designs

• The Analytical Engine was far ahead of its time

All basic ideas were in place in 1837

The design was far too complex for the available technology (mechanical gears and switches)

• The Difference Engine was well within the bounds of adjacent possible

15 ton contraption with 25000 mechanical parts

Calculating polynomial functions for creating trigonometric tables for navigation

After many improvements, the idea actually transcended the adjacent

(125)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?

Creation of FORTRAN as an Example of Adjacent Possible

• Prevailing wisdom circa 1950s : Expressiveness Vs. Efficiency conflict

(126)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 27/65

Creation of FORTRAN as an Example of Adjacent Possible

• Prevailing wisdom circa 1950s : Expressiveness Vs. Efficiency conflict

• John Backus’s main observations

Economic problem. Imbalence between the programming costs and computer costs

Technical difficulty. Inefficiency of translation of an expressive specification

Main obstacle. Clumsy treatment of program loops and array address calculations

(127)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?

Creation of FORTRAN as an Example of Adjacent Possible

• Prevailing wisdom circa 1950s : Expressiveness Vs. Efficiency conflict

• John Backus’s main observations

Economic problem. Imbalence between the programming costs and computer costs

Technical difficulty. Inefficiency of translation of an expressive specification

Main obstacle. Clumsy treatment of program loops and array address calculations

• Backus was theright personat the right timeat the right place

He had the foresight to recognize that efficient language implementation was well within theadjacent possible

He was Bernard Shaw’s proverbial “unreasonable person”

(128)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 27/65

Creation of FORTRAN as an Example of Adjacent Possible

• Prevailing wisdom circa 1950s : Expressiveness Vs. Efficiency conflict

• John Backus’s main observations

Economic problem. Imbalence between the programming costs and computer costs

Technical difficulty. Inefficiency of translation of an expressive specification

Main obstacle. Clumsy treatment of program loops and array address calculations

• Backus was theright personat the right timeat the right place

He had the foresight to recognize that efficient language implementation was well within theadjacent possible

He was Bernard Shaw’s proverbial “unreasonable person”

(129)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?

Adaptation

• Using an idea in a completely unrelated context leading to cross fertilization of ideas

(130)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 28/65

Adaptation

• Using an idea in a completely unrelated context leading to cross fertilization of ideas

• Adaptation Example 1:

Screw press for wine making used by Gutenberg for printing press

Everything else was ready: the movable type face using lead fonts, the ink, the paper,

the types however were hand pressed and the process was slow and not suitable for mass production

(131)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?

Adaptation

• Using an idea in a completely unrelated context leading to cross fertilization of ideas

• Adaptation Example 1:

Screw press for wine making used by Gutenberg for printing press

Everything else was ready: the movable type face using lead fonts, the ink, the paper,

the types however were hand pressed and the process was slow and not suitable for mass production

• Adaptation Example 2:

French weaver Jacquard’s punch card system adopted by Charles Babbage

(132)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 29/65

More Adaptation Examples

• Adaptation Example 3:

Guier and Weiffenbach’s Sputnik orbit tracing system developed at Applied Physics Laboratory of Johns Hopkins University (Oct 1957)

The inverse idea used for deciding the trajectory of missile fired from a submarine (discovering the exact location of a submarine using a satellite with known orbit)

The modern day GPS (Global positioning system)

(133)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?

More Adaptation Examples

• Adaptation Example 3:

Guier and Weiffenbach’s Sputnik orbit tracing system developed at Applied Physics Laboratory of Johns Hopkins University (Oct 1957)

The inverse idea used for deciding the trajectory of missile fired from a submarine (discovering the exact location of a submarine using a satellite with known orbit)

The modern day GPS (Global positioning system)

• Adaptation Example 4:

Shannon’s Master’s thesis: A Symbolic Analysis of Relay and Switching Circuits, MIT, 1937

Digital circuit design was an engineering art with no clear science or

(134)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 30/65

The Facilitators of Discovery of Good Ideas

• The obvious facilitators

Curiosity

Experimentation

Observation

Discussion

• Some non-obvious facilitators

Slow Hunch

Serendipity

Error

(135)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?

Slow Hunch

• Every Eureka! moment is preceded by a hunch that has lingered on in the mind for a long time beforemutating into something useful

(136)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 31/65

Slow Hunch

• Every Eureka! moment is preceded by a hunch that has lingered on in the mind for a long time beforemutating into something useful

• Evolution of an idea is not a monotonic progress

It’s more like a blind man walking with a stick

Half guesses, some of which are discarded, some are refined further

Some times discarded guesses are revisited

(137)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?

Slow Hunch

• Every Eureka! moment is preceded by a hunch that has lingered on in the mind for a long time beforemutating into something useful

• Evolution of an idea is not a monotonic progress

It’s more like a blind man walking with a stick

Half guesses, some of which are discarded, some are refined further

Some times discarded guesses are revisited

• Example: Darwin’s theory of natural selection (Oct 1838)

“favourable variations would be preserved and unfavourable would be destroyed”’

His autobiography suggests he realized this on 28 Sept 1838 while

(138)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 32/65

Serendipity

Word coined by English novelist Horace Walpole (1754), inspired by Persian fairy tale “Three Princes of Serendip”

• A happy coincidence, a chance meeting, unexpected connections made by neurons in the dreams

(No wonder coffee table discussions in conferences are more productive than formal presentations)

(139)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?

Serendipity

Word coined by English novelist Horace Walpole (1754), inspired by Persian fairy tale “Three Princes of Serendip”

• A happy coincidence, a chance meeting, unexpected connections made by neurons in the dreams

(No wonder coffee table discussions in conferences are more productive than formal presentations)

• Dream Example 1:

Friedrich Kekule’s discovery of the molecular structure of Benzene as a prefect ring of carbon with hydrogen atoms jutting out

Dreamt of a Greek mythological snake Ouroboros eating its own tail

(140)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 32/65

Serendipity

Word coined by English novelist Horace Walpole (1754), inspired by Persian fairy tale “Three Princes of Serendip”

• A happy coincidence, a chance meeting, unexpected connections made by neurons in the dreams

(No wonder coffee table discussions in conferences are more productive than formal presentations)

• Dream Example 1:

Friedrich Kekule’s discovery of the molecular structure of Benzene as a prefect ring of carbon with hydrogen atoms jutting out

Dreamt of a Greek mythological snake Ouroboros eating its own tail

(141)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?

Error

• Error often jolts you out of your comfortable assumptions

• Being right keeps you in place, being wrong forces you to explore

(142)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 33/65

Error

• Error often jolts you out of your comfortable assumptions

• Being right keeps you in place, being wrong forces you to explore

• Error Example 1: Greatbach’s pacemaker

Original goal was to create a devise to record heart beat

A radio like receiver to catch signal’s transmitted by heart

A wrong resistor connected to oscillator started simulating heart beat

(143)

IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?

Error

• Error often jolts you out of your comfortable assumptions

• Being right keeps you in place, being wrong forces you to explore

• Error Example 1: Greatbach’s pacemaker

Original goal was to create a devise to record heart beat

A radio like receiver to catch signal’s transmitted by heart

A wrong resistor connected to oscillator started simulating heart beat

• Error Example 2: De Forest’s electrodes in a gas filled glass tubes

Original experiment involved spark gap transmitter for telegraphy

A twisted wire middle electrode resulted in a good amplifier

(144)

Part 5

The Process of Research

(145)

IITB Research I: The Process of Research

The Spirit of Inquiry (1)

Very few of us know,

how much we have to know, in order to know,

how little we know

(146)

IITB Research I: The Process of Research 34/65

The Spirit of Inquiry (1)

Very few of us know,

how much we have to know, in order to know,

how little we know

(147)

IITB Research I: The Process of Research

The Spirit of Inquiry (1)

Very few of us know,

how much we have to know, in order to know,

how little we know

(148)

IITB Research I: The Process of Research 34/65

The Spirit of Inquiry (1)

Very few of us know,

how much we have to know, in order to know,

how little we know

• Relative stupidity Vs.

Productive stupidity

(149)

IITB Research I: The Process of Research

The Spirit of Inquiry (1)

Very few of us know,

how much we have to know, in order to know,

how little we know

• Relative stupidity Vs.

Productive stupidity

• We are taught to feel bad about relative stupidity

(150)

IITB Research I: The Process of Research 34/65

The Spirit of Inquiry (1)

Very few of us know,

how much we have to know, in order to know,

how little we know

• Relative stupidity Vs.

Productive stupidity

• We are taught to feel bad about relative stupidity

• Productive stupidity:

(151)

IITB Research I: The Process of Research

The Spirit of Inquiry (1)

Very few of us know,

how much we have to know, in order to know,

how little we know

• Relative stupidity Vs.

Productive stupidity

• We are taught to feel bad about relative stupidity

• Productive stupidity:

No research is possible unless we are willing to feel vulnerable and stupid

(152)

IITB Research I: The Process of Research 34/65

The Spirit of Inquiry (1)

Very few of us know,

how much we have to know, in order to know,

how little we know

• Relative stupidity Vs.

Productive stupidity

• We are taught to feel bad about relative stupidity

• Productive stupidity:

No research is possible unless we are willing to feel vulnerable and stupid

If we don’t feel stupid, we are not trying enough!

(153)

IITB Research I: The Process of Research

The Spirit of Inquiry (1)

Very few of us know,

how much we have to know, in order to know,

how little we know

• Relative stupidity Vs.

Productive stupidity

• We are taught to feel bad about relative stupidity

• Productive stupidity:

No research is possible unless we are willing to feel vulnerable and stupid

If we don’t feel stupid, we are not trying enough!

It’s important to know what we know and what we don’t and be comfortable

(154)

IITB Research I: The Process of Research 35/65

The Spirit of Inquiry (2)

• Is asking questions disrepectful?

• Is independent thinking disrepectful?

• Does respect require obedience of thoughts?

(155)

IITB Research I: The Process of Research

The Spirit of Inquiry (2)

• Is asking questions disrepectful?

• Is independent thinking disrepectful?

• Does respect require obedience of thoughts?

We end up mixing

• criticism of an idea with criticism of the person

(156)

IITB Research I: The Process of Research 35/65

The Spirit of Inquiry (2)

• Is asking questions disrepectful?

• Is independent thinking disrepectful?

• Does respect require obedience of thoughts?

We end up mixing

• criticism of an idea with criticism of the person

• appreciation of an idea with appreciation of the person

(157)

IITB Research I: The Process of Research

Breadth Vs. Depth

A B C D E

(158)

IITB Research I: The Process of Research 36/65

Breadth Vs. Depth

A B C D E

C

(159)

IITB Research I: The Process of Research

Breadth Vs. Depth

A B C D E

D

(160)

IITB Research I: The Process of Research 36/65

Breadth Vs. Depth

A B C D E

A

(161)

IITB Research I: The Process of Research

Breadth Vs. Depth

A B C D E

A

(162)

IITB Research I: The Process of Research 36/65

Breadth Vs. Depth

A B C D E

C

(163)

IITB Research I: The Process of Research

Breadth Vs. Depth

A B C D E

C

(164)

IITB Research I: The Process of Research 36/65

Breadth Vs. Depth

A B C D E

C

(165)

IITB Research I: The Process of Research

Breadth Vs. Depth

A B C D E

C

References

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